logging - PowerShell Log Function Readability -

currently log function spits out information in single column , hard read. there way make split different columns each (displayname, poolname, poolsnapshot, , desktopsvivmsnapshot) , respective information put correctly?

function log ([string]$entry) {     write-output $entry | out-file -append "c:\logs\snapshot.csv" }  add-pssnapin quest.activeroles.admanagement  $date = get-date -format "mm-dd-yyyy" $time = get-date -format "hh:mm:sstt"  # begin log log $(get-date) log "the below desktops not using correct snapshot."   if (@($desktopexceptions).count -lt 1) {     write-output "all desktops in $pool using correct snapshots." |         out-file -append "c:\logs\snapshot.csv" } else {     write-output $desktopexceptions |         select-object displayname,poolname,poolsnapshot,desktopsvivmsnapshot |         sort displayname |         out-file -append "c:\logs\snapshot.csv" }  log $(get-date) 

 09/11/2017 12:16:17  displayname   poolname       poolsnapshot                            desktopsvivmsnapshot -----------   --------       ------------                            -------------------- xxxc-13v      xxxc-xxx       /8-11-2017/09-07-2017                   /8-11-2017 xxxc-15v      xxxc-xxx       /8-11-2017/09-07-2017                   /8-11-2017 xxxc-1v       xxxc-xxx       /8-11-2017/09-07-2017                   /8-11-2017 xxxc-20v      xxxc-xxx       /8-11-2017/09-07-2017                   /8-11-2017 

note: removed parts of log in hopes not make post long.

csv files require uniform lines: header line column names, followed data lines containing column values.

by writing output get-date first - single date/time string - followed single-string output, followed multi-column output $desktopexceptions | select-object ... call, you're definition not creating valid csv file.

if still want create such file:

log (get-date)  # single command, don't need $(...) - (...) do. log "the below desktops not using correct snapshot."   if ($desktopexceptions)  # non-empty array / non-$null object {   log ($desktopexceptions |     select-object displayname,poolname,poolsnapshot,desktopsvivmsnapshot |      sort-object displayname |       convertto-csv -notypeinformation) } else {   log "all desktops in $pool using correct snapshots." }  log (get-date) 

• by defining log() function's parameter type [string], you're forcing stringification of whatever object pass it. stringification same when embed variable reference or command inside "..." (string expansion / interpolation) - not same default, when print console.

• out-file, contrast, does result in same output when printing console, which, however, format human consumption, not machine parsing (as csv is, instance).

• to csv-formatted output, must either use export-csv - write directly file - or convertto-csv- string representation.

• also note there's typically no reason use write-output explicitly - command / expression's output not explicitly assigned variable / redirected (to file or $null) implicitly sent powershell's [success] output stream; e.g., write-output get-date same get-date.